CORAL EXPEDITIONS

Started in 1983, the company’s original vessel, Coral Princess, a converted World War II submarine chaser, pioneered and set the standard for small ship expedition cruising in northern Australia with 5-night cruises on the Great Barrier Reef. Today, the Coral Expeditions’ fleet includes three purpose-built small ships that can be found anywhere from the tropical waters of Australia’s north to the rugged shores of Tasmania, from the coastal villages of Papua New Guinea and the Spice Islands, to sheltered sounds and glacial fiords of New Zealand. While a range of cruise itineraries that has expanded into new regions, they have maintained their home in Cairns and continue to be the only major operator of extended small ship cruises on the Great Barrier Reef.

There’s many reasons guests choose Coral Expeditions for a truly authentic expedition:

⚓ Australian Owned and Flagged
⚓ Unrivalled Local Expertise
⚓ A True Expedition Ethos
⚓ Purpose Built Ships
⚓ Warm Australian Hospitality
⚓ Uniquely Deep Connections

At the heart of the Coral Expeditions experience is their purpose-built small expedition ships and unique tenders. In an age of glitzy mega-vessels, the ships are truly intimate, carrying no more than 120 guests. This means that they can navigate into shallow bays, step ashore onto remote beaches and jetties, and visit small villages to make connections without overwhelming a community. The fleet has been designed to explore tropical waters with comfort and ease and to allow you to connect with the landscape we explore.

Staterooms 

Each one of Coral Expedition’s ships feature spacious outside facing staterooms. There are also a large number of private balcony staterooms on Coral Geographer and Coral Adventurer.

⚓ Suites

The most exclusive category of suites is the Bridge Deck Balcony Suite on board Coral Geographer and Coral Adventurer. Coral Geographer Suites has six Bridge Deck Suites that are spacious and elegant retreats after a busy day ashore. Suites are equipped with a lounge area, minibar and personal coffee machine. They have Junior King-sized beds. A 3.5 sq m private balcony has an outdoor daybed and lounge chair for two. A unique outside-facing bathroom with a horizon bath completes the experience. A complimentary minibar is replenished daily.

Coral Adventurer has two Cairns and Darwin suites that are equipped with a lounge area, minibar and personal coffee machine. They have a spacious super King-sized bed. The 8 square metre private balcony has an outdoor daybed and lounge chair for two. A unique outside-facing bathroom with picture windows, bath and separate shower complete the suite experience. The complimentary minibar is replenished daily.

Coral Discoverer has Bridge Deck Balcony Staterooms as her top category. These are located on the exclusive Bridge Deck close to the Lounge and Bridge, our six spacious Bridge Deck staterooms are 20sqm (215 square feet) in size and open out onto private balconies for expansive ocean views, along with a sofa, desk, telephone and your choice of Junior King or twin bedding. The compact ensuite has a toilet, shower and ample storage.

⚓ Staterooms

All of Coral Expedition’s fleet feature window staterooms on the Coral and Promenade decks. These are spacious 17sqm or 18sqm staterooms (depending on ship) that feature either portholes or picture windows, a wardrobe, desk, armchair or sofa and a private ensuite. Coral Geographer and Coral Adventurer have balcony staterooms available. These staterooms are comfortably furnished with a junior King size bed which can be separated into two singles.  A wardrobe, desk and armchair are included.  The compact ensuite has a toilet, shower and ample storage.  Your private balcony has seating for two from which to view the passing coastal vistas.

Dining and Bars

With a maximum of 72 guests, chefs have the creative freedom to prepare small batch meals from fresh seasonal produce. The dining room offers open seat dining without the need to reserve a table. Meals are served in a combination of family table platters and table d’hote. Morning and afternoon teas are also provided, as is 24-hour access to tea and coffee. Selected beers, wines and spirits are included with lunch and dinner service, as well as soft drinks and juices. Fresh drinking water is available onboard at water stations.

There are fully stocked bars onboard with an excellent selection of beers, wines, and spirits. Bar hours are 10:00am to late.

In between shore adventures, chefs will welcome you back on board with freshly baked treats or delicious canapes to accompany pre-dinner or sunset drinks. When local regulations allow, impromptu stops are made to enjoy sunset drinks and canapés in scenic locations.

Lectures and Presentations

A series of lectures will be presented during the cruise. These presentations are an integral part of your expedition and are designed to lend greater depth and understanding to your experience. The lecture series, films, and slide-shows will be presented in the bridge deck lounge.

Facilities and Amenities

While the facilities and amenities on offer may different from ship to ship, as well as across different destinations, you will find the following onboard:

⚓ 2 trademark Xplorer tenders on Coral Geographer and Coral Adventurer, 1 on Coral Discoverer
⚓ Coral Geographer and Coral Adventurer have an elevator on all accommodation levels, however all guests must be able to make their own way up and down stairs in case of an emergency. There is no elevator or passenger lift aboard Coral Discoverer. There are approximately 12-13 steps on each flight of stairs.
⚓ Zodiacs designed for expeditions
⚓ Double and single kayaks
⚓ Complimentary WiFi
⚓ Air conditioning

Xplorer tender 

With Coral Expeditions, your cruise fare includes:
⚓ Expert Expedition Team and Guest Lecturers
⚓ An authentic, flexible expedition itinerary
⚓ Comprehensive and fully guided sightseeing in each destination
⚓ Lectures, workshops and demonstrations onboard
⚓ All meals, chef-prepared on board
⚓ Selected beers, wines and house spirits and soft drinks with lunch and dinner service
⚓ Captain’s welcome and farewell events and open Bridge Access
⚓ 24-hour barista style coffee and tea
⚓ Use of all onboard facilities, including a reference library
⚓ Snorkelling equipment (on applicable voyages)
⚓ Daily guided excursions on Xplorer and Zodiac tender vessels and kayaks where conditions allow
⚓ All entrance fees to National Parks and Ports
⚓ Tips and gratuities
⚓ Photos of your cruise captured by the Expedition Team
⚓ Wifi Access – Standard speed connectivity – ideal for text-based communications

What’s Not Included:
⚓ Travel insurance
⚓ Alcoholic drinks outside of lunch and dinner service
⚓ “Wine Selections” optional packages
⚓ Optional Premium Satellite Internet – ideal for media applications and video calling (5Mbps speed), $180pp per voyage
⚓ Laundry service (available at a cost)
⚓ Entry visas or travel permits
⚓ Items of a personal nature including but not limited to laundry charges and souvenir purchases
⚓ SCUBA diving
⚓ Optional Extra’s available on some departures (Eg. Mitchell Falls Helicopter Flight).

On Shore Experiences

At Coral Expeditions, guests get up close and personal with stunning landscapes, fascinating history and vibrant cultures. Come face-to-face with extraordinary marine life as you snorkel over a reef, chat with villagers in a remote and rarely-visited community or admire ancient Indigenous art galleries. Coral Expeditions focus on really experiencing the regions you visit.

The shallow draught and manoeuvrability of ships allow access and anchor in locations that larger ships cannot reach. All ships are equipped with a fleet of excursion tenders to make travelling ashore as simple and comfortable as possible. Taking pride of place are the proprietary ‘Xplorers’ – the excursion tenders slung off the rear of the ship on a hydraulic platform that facilitates fast and dry shore landings for all guests at one go. On the Xplorers, guests can travel swiftly up rivers, disembark in village piers, step foot on a sandy beach, and experience the spray of a waterfall. Additionally, the ships carry a complement of Zodiacs, kayaks and glass bottom boats to maximise the expedition experience. The cruise fare includes the use of all expedition equipment.

Accessibility

To make the most of your expedition, all guests should be in good general health, be able to walk reasonable distances over sometimes uneven terrain and stand during excursions. Should you have any physical limitations, please notify your agent in advance of your departure. Some physical and mental conditions are not suited to safe travel on small ships and the crew leaders have ultimate authority to deny boarding to anyone who they deem may be a safety risk to themselves, crew, and other passengers. It is also advised that guests carry a current record of allergies or any chronic medical issues and the telephone number for their physician’s 24-hour answering service. As the itineraries cover remote regions and are active by nature, they may not be suitable for those with serious medical conditions. It is important that known medical conditions and treatments should be disclosed at the time of booking. In the event of a remote area emergency, medical history can be essential information for the team. All guests must obtain travel insurance that covers remote area evacuation.